


I'm in paradise (whenever I'm with you)

by maxverstappens (juliansweigl)



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Angst, Drabble Collection, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2019-11-05 16:30:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 12,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17922353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juliansweigl/pseuds/maxverstappens
Summary: this time it's real, it's something that I feel [...] if it feels like paradise running through your bloody veins, you know it's love heading your way.or,snapshots of Daniel and Max's life together.





	1. "my clothes look really good on you"

**Author's Note:**

> ajskskjs hi 
> 
> (this is just my drabble collection whilst I procrastinate (but for now I hope this is fun, apologies for me being INCREDIBLY awkward)

He knows it’s here somewhere. He saw the bloody thing last night when he pulled it off and threw it haphazardly over the back of the chair in the bedroom. Daniel stops and huffs, lifting his hand to scratch the back of his neck - it’s not as though this is the _only_ hoodie he owns, he has an obscene number but that, that one is his favourite.

 

He’s running late, he has a meeting in less than twenty minutes and if he doesn’t leave within the next few he’s going to risk walking in a few minutes late with a bullshit excuse and a half-hearted apology - something he knows Max will tease him about later. Sighing, he could easily forget the hoodie-

 

“Why are you still here?”

 

“That’s mine.”

 

Max and Daniel speak at the same time and Daniel makes a exaggerated gesture towards the oversized garment of clothing that Max is wearing, admittedly the hoodie is giving his boyfriend the _most_ adorable sweater paws and a youthfulness about him (well, more of one).

 

“You didn’t answer my question.” Max tries again, cocking his left eyebrow at the way Daniel is almost-glaring at him. “What? Oh _this_?” Max pulls at the material as Daniel makes a strangled noise in response.

 

“My clothes look really good on you.” Daniel comments, stepping closer to Max and running his hands up and down the material of the navy hoodie. “ _Really good_.” Daniel chokes out, lifting his hands to rest on either side of Max’s neck, caressing the skin there before brushing his thumbs against Max’s jaw and his bottom lip.

 

Max glances up at Daniel through his eyelashes and swallows thickly when he catches Daniel’s gaze, unwavering, glazed over with _lust_. Daniel’s thumb continues to brush across Max’s face, his cheekbones, his eyebrows, his hairline and the curve of his nose.

 

“Oh, will you just kiss me already?” Max asks with an impatient growl to his voice as he leans up and closes the gap between them.

 

Daniel forgoes taking his time after that, palms so fucking warm as he holds Max’s face between them, the heat radiating and making Max feel hot and bothered. Max hooks one arm around Daniel’s shoulder and scratches at the base of Daniel’s scalp - swallowing the content purr from his boyfriend as he licks into Daniel’s mouth.

 

Daniel is pushing his hands under the hoodie, past Max’s t-shirt and groaning when he scrapes his fingers across his boyfriend’s toned muscle - guiding Max back until he hits the wall of the bedroom-

 

Max leans back, lips swollen and glistening with spit. “You’re going to be late for your meeting.”

 

“You’re… kidding, right?” Daniel draws the question out slowly, not quite believing that Max got him all worked up just to send him on his way to a meeting that quite honestly he doesn’t want to go to. “I can’t believe you.”

 

Max has the audacity to smirk and lean back in, kissing Daniel quickly and tugging his boyfriend’s bottom lip between his teeth before pulling away once more and ushering Daniel out of the bedroom.

 

" _Enjoy_.”

 

“Fuck you.” Daniel grumbles as he swipes his phone and keys up from the kitchen counter.

 

He’s just at the front door, fingers curling around the handle when he hears Max’s choked reply of “ _maybe later_.”


	2. "quit touching me. your feet are cold."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi again aksksjs
> 
> also hey, hi, idk, i made a [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5geFXfKZt3OPOumRAFTpe0) playlist for this series that i'm working on (basically it's a mess of my music taste and some songs that i associate with the series (and dan and max) and others i just like listening to whilst i write about them so if u want to listen pls feel free (also ajsjdks ignore my username because spotify is a little bitch and won't let you change it)

Daniel hates Max.

 

That’s a lie, he loves his boyfriend more than anything else on this godforsaken planet - he just _despises_ how easily Max finds falling asleep. If it’s not crawling into bed at a stupid hour and being asleep before his head hits the pillow, it’s napping during the day when he gets the time - on the couch, in bed, the odd occasion that he falls asleep with his head on the table, controller in a loose grip.

 

Daniel throws one arm behind his head and glances down to Max. Max is curled up around himself, one arm underneath the pillow that his head is on and the other slung across Daniel’s waist as he continues to sleep soundly.

 

Glancing at his phone which is on the verge of dying anyway, the three is clear as day even through Daniel’s exhausted haze. It’s after three in the morning and he’s yet to even get a wink of sleep, it’s unsurprising, he’s had so much on his mind these last few weeks - unable to focus, a thousand things running through his mind at every hour of the day.

 

Daniel shifts, freezing when he hears Max make a disgruntled noise just seconds later. Watching him, Max just harrumphs into his pillow and falls back to being completely dead to the world - Daniel isn’t shocked.

 

Daniel just sighs, locks his phone and fumbles for his charger lead before abandoning the device on the bedside table and shuffling down, trying to get comfortable - just for sleep to continue alluding him.

 

He tosses and turns for a while, huffing and muttering swear words under his breath. Daniel presses his feet against Max’s legs, relishing in the obscenely high body temperature of his boyfriend. He feels rather than sees or hears Max waking up-

 

“Quit touching me. Your feet are cold.” Max mumbles out sleepily, barely opening his eyes as he nudges Daniel’s feet away from his legs.

 

“They’re not, you’re just hot.” Daniel retorts with a small eye roll.

 

Max snorts, burrowing his face deeper in the pillow. “I know, but still, keep your fucking feet off me.”

 

Daniel just groans and flips onto his side, pressing his _cold_ feet against Max’s legs once more before leaning out and brushing Max’s hair out of his face.

 

“I’ll make you sleep on the couch, go to sleep.” Max grumbles, swatting Daniel’s hand away. “Also - I’ll break your legs in a minute, _get off_.” Max growls, the maliciousness slipping from his tone as soon as his mouth is open as he kicks at Daniel’s feet under the covers.

 

Daniel suppresses a chuckle at how completely unthreatening Max sounds when he’s half-asleep and curled around the blankets and pillows, lips parted and looking like he’s at peace with the world.

 

Dropping his head to the pillow, Daniel feels Max scoot closer and sling his arm across his midriff against and pull him impossibly closer, and Daniel finds himself being lulled to sleep by the sound of his boyfriend’s breathing and the heavy weight of a head that’s half on his shoulder and half on the pillow beside him.  


	3. "you're cute when you sleep"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what i should be doing: working on my series  
> what i'm actually doing: writing 3000 words of dan and max being adorable with their own kiddo

It had started off back when they were teammates and Daniel figured out pretty quickly that Max falls asleep anywhere, anytime, and within seconds of his head hitting a reasonably sturdy surface.

 

It originally started off as a blackmailing tool, taking pictures of Max in various places sleeping as though he hasn’t got a care in the world - Daniel has a folder full of them. He has Max asleep on planes, in meetings, napping in-between sessions - he also has a photograph taken at home with Max holding his entire body weight on the bathroom counter, eyes closed and with his toothbrush hanging out of his mouth.

 

Sometime in-between crossing that blurred line between teammates, friends and something more - Daniel became less obsessed with taking the pictures of Max sleeping for blackmail and more so, because he just _likes_ it. That’s why he keeps them in a seperate folder on his phone - away from where Max can stumble on them.

 

Daniel is in the kitchen when Max calls him to tell him he’s got a new message.

 

“Read it, I’m busy!” Daniel shouts back, not caring, assuming the message is just one his friends or maybe it’s his mum - he hasn’t talked to her in a few days and he really should call her.

 

Daniel is busying himself when he hears the pads of Max’s footsteps approaching before they stop.

 

“What’s this?” Max asks,

 

Daniel glances over his shoulder, raising his eyebrows expectantly as Max holds his phone up, an unreadable expression covering his face.

 

Daniel can feel the heat rising from the base of his neck up towards his cheeks as he tries to school his expression, eyes flickering between Max’s face and the not-so-secret-anymore folder that Max has stumbled on.

 

“Those aren’t my messages.” Daniel states dumbly, only receiving a small hum and a raised eyebrow from Max.

 

“There are over sixty pictures - _I don’t sleep that much_!” Max cries out, looking seconds from either actually crying or laughing. “How - why? What is wrong with you?” He asks, choking on the laugh that’s bubbling in his throat.

 

Daniel smirks, striding towards Max and stealing his phone back from Max’s grip. “Call it a compliment, you’re cute when you sleep.”

 

“It’s creepy.” Max retorts, pouting like a petulant child.

 

“I’m not going to stop.” Daniel shrugs, locking his phone and slipping it into his back pocket.

 

Max rolls his eyes so hard that for a second he thinks they’re going to roll back into his head. Daniel grins and takes that as his opportunity to surge forward and kiss the pout right off his boyfriend’s lips.

 

Max is already walking back to the living room when Daniel gets an idea. “You know - I guess I should be thankful you didn’t find my folder with your nudes!”

 

Daniel groans when the cushion that Max launches across the apartment smacks him square in the face.


	4. "sometimes I just don't want to exist"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE JONAS BROTHERS ARE BACK AND MY CHILDHOOD SELF IS CRYING
> 
> also ajsjdhsk hi (i haven't edited this chapter because i'm in a rush but hope u enjoy goodbye i gotta dash)

Daniel is at a loss. 

 

Max, contrary to popular belief isn’t always loud and talkative and a bundle of energy - he has his quieter days just like everybody else but today, today is different. 

 

Max hasn’t spoken in over three hours, quietly padding through the apartment, barely offering a response to Daniel and if he does - they’re quiet grunts and subtle nods of his head, face contorted into an expression of  _ misery _ . 

 

It sends alarm bells ringing in Daniel’s head when he passes the bedroom sometime after two in the afternoon and is met with the sound of soft, muffled sobs coming from behind the closed door. With the panic quickly setting in, Daniel throws open the door and startles Max who immediately slaps his hand over his mouth and stares at his boyfriend with wide eyes.

 

“... Max?” Daniel asks hesitantly, hating the wavering in his voice.

 

Max coughs, sniffles and slowly lets his hand fall to the bed. “What’s up?” He asks, trying and failing to keep his voice steady. “You look - you look a little panicked.” Max tries to joke but the tears pooling in his eyes say otherwise and this time he can’t stifle the sob that’s rising in his throat. 

 

Daniel crosses the room before his brain manages to catch up with him, sitting beside Max and pressing their thighs together. If there is one thing that Daniel has learnt from his relationship with Max is that Max doesn’t particularly like being coddled when he’s upset, doesn’t like being hugged tightly but he still wants some sort of physical comfort. 

 

“ _ Max _ .” Daniel murmurs, flicking his gaze down to Max who is staring at his hands. “Can you just - talk to me.” 

 

Max doesn’t respond and the silence that engulfs the room is almost deafening. Max’s sobs turn to hiccups and small sniffles when he drops his head against Daniel’s arm, and Daniel flexes his fingers as though he wants to grab Max’s hand but he doesn't.

 

“Sometimes I just don’t want to exist.” 

 

Of all the things that Daniel half-expects Max to say - that - that isn’t one of them. 

 

“Don’t worry I don’t want to - you know.” Max shrugs. “I just, things get  _ really  _ hard some days and I don’t know how to handle them.” 

 

Suddenly, Daniel laughs, though it’s more of a shaky relieved breath that sounds like he’s laughing. 

 

It’s no secret that Max struggles, struggles with the pressure of their sport, the broken relationship between himself and his dad, rumors, rifts and his impulsive nature - Daniel’s seen it all over the last few years. 

 

“You know it’s not a bad thing, right? You  _ can  _ have bad days.” Daniel finally speaks up, it’s not the worst advice and reassurance but it’s about as generic as it could possibly  come.

 

Max snorts derisively. “I don’t want to feel like this.” 

 

“I know.” Daniel sighs, straining to come up with something else to say when it hits him like a slap to the face, the realisation. “You know I won’t leave you, right?” 

 

Max glances up and just as Daniel predicts, he looks surprised but intrigued at his boyfriend’s words. 

 

“You can feel like this Max, Jesus Christ - it doesn’t mean I love you any less.” 

 

A small, barely there smile begins to twitch at the corners of Max’s lips as he reaches out to grasp at Daniel’s fingers, twisting their hands until he can take hold of Daniel’s hand fully. Just as the smile starts to appear it fades and Max sighs.

 

“I hate feeling like this.” 

 

“Come on.” Daniel urges, standing up and pulling Max up and bundling up the duvet from their bed in his arm. 

 

Max allows himself to be pulled into the living room as Daniel drags the duvet across the floor, struggling to get a good hold of it as he maneuvers them to the couch and sits down. Max takes the hint and lies down, his head in Daniel’s lap as Daniel wraps the duvet around the both of them best as possible. 

 

“Better?” Daniel asks, carding his hand through Max’s unbrushed hair as the blond’s eyes start to flutter between open and closed. “You can sleep if you want, I’ll still be here.” 

 

Just before he succumbs to sleep fully, Max catches Daniel’s hand and presses a kiss to his palm, mumbling out a sleepy  _ thank you _ before his eyes close.


	5. "sorry I woke you up"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i... hate this one... gotta dash! have fun :)

Max is a deep sleeper, so it’s unsurprising that he doesn’t initially stir when Daniel thrashes beside him, mumbling incoherent words, it’s only when Daniel’s arm flails and smacks Max in the face does he snap open his eyes.

 

“Dan, what the fuck-? Oh my god,  _ Dan _ ?” Max rushes out, pressing down on his boyfriend’s shoulder as he tries to jostle him awake. “Hey, I swear to god -  _ Daniel _ .”

 

It’s unconventional but Max slaps Daniel, not with much force behind it considering it’s the early hours of the morning and his actions are laced with sleep but Daniel shoots up, eyes wide and hair matted and stuck to his forehead. 

 

Max frowns, hesitantly reaching out a hand to lay on Daniel’s shoulder. “Nightmare?” 

 

Daniel doesn’t respond, just stares straight ahead, trying to make out something,  _ anything  _ in the room as his breathing becomes erratic once more. Max tightens his grip on Daniel’s shoulder and lifts his other hand to press his palm against his boyfriend’s cheek and turn his head to face him, barely making out each others’ features in the pitch black.

 

Max, if he’s being completely honest has a pretty good idea what the nightmare was about and if he’s right - it would explain a lot about Daniel’s reluctance to talk about it.

 

“Can you just say it?” 

 

“... I’m sorry.” Daniel sighs, slumping and letting his head fall against Max’s chest with a soft thump. “I’m so fucking sorry. I didn’t - I fucked up -  _ Jesus _ .” 

 

Max doesn’t say anything, eyes stinging with the sudden loss of sleep and overall exhaustion. He just cards a hand through Daniel’s hair and lets Daniel breathe in and out. 

 

They’ve been in a state of ignorance for days, pretending as though it’s not looming, that the season isn’t barreling towards them at full speed, that they’re not teammates and how everything becomes ten, fifty, seventy times harder. The aftermath of the announcement had been harder than imagined and neither of them imagined to  _ still  _ be here. 

 

Daniel stops tracing patterns into Max’s forearm and instead fumbles around until he can lace his fingers with Max’s. “Sorry, I woke you up.” 

 

Max snorts. “I think that’s the least of our problems.” 

 

“Are you still mad at me?” Daniel asks, rolling until he’s lying on his back and able to make out the frown that’s pulling at Max’s lips. 

 

“I wasn’t mad-”

 

“- You almost brought the walls down with your yelling.” Daniel grumbles but Max shushes him by poking him in the ribs.

 

They fall silent for seconds, minutes when Daniel’s grip on Max’s hand suddenly becomes tighter. 

 

“You crashed, but I didn’t know - I couldn’t stop and they - they wouldn’t tell me what was happening and all I saw was this  _ blur _ and -  _ fuck Max _ \- this is  _ all  _ my fault!” 

 

“Stop it.” Max scolds. “Stop feeling so fucking guilty over this, what’s done is done, we move on and get through it, we’re adults.” the words surprise Max, and in the deep, dark, he wonders when did he mature to this level.

 

Daniel looks taken aback momentarily but Max is lying down and pulling Daniel down with him, head resting on Max’s chest, ear aligned with the beating of his heart before Daniel can call him out on his less-than-sympathetic reaction. 

 

“Love you.” Daniel yawns, already grabbing the blankets and pulling them up to his chest. 

 

Max heaves a sigh, he knows they have to talk about it, not argue, but actually follow through with his words that they’re in fact adults but that’s a conversation that isn’t for - ten past two in the morning. Lying down, Max presses a featherlight kiss to Daniel’s forehead and feels the warmth of his boyfriend’s body and the softness of the pillows lulling him back to sleep. 


	6. "I'm not jealous"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so......... I don't hate this one...... I did write it instead of listening in my lecture though...... ah, well, small victories

Daniel is brooding, well, he’s trying not to but he can’t help but scowl every time that Max and Pierre gravitate towards each other, the latter managing to make Max laugh within three seconds every time. 

 

He crosses his arms over his chest defensively when Max glances up and shoots Daniel one of  _ those  _ smiles, the smiles that only Daniel gets to see - the same smile that Max gives him when it’s early in the morning and pitch black outside and Max is barely awake but Daniel is chattering away about something mindless. It’s the same smile that Max sends him across a meeting, and it’s most  _ definitely  _ the same smile that Max sends him every time Daniel goes to leave and shouts a quick ‘love you’ before he does.

 

So, suffice to say, it should be reassuring and Daniel shouldn’t still have anger coursing through his veins. Still, he glares at the pair of them, mostly Pierre.

 

Something prods him in the ribs, and by something, he means Max who is looking up at him with an  unintelligible  expression pulling at his face.

 

“What’s up?” 

 

Daniel grumbles but unfolds his arms and lets them drop by his side. It doesn’t deter Max though who proceeds to  _ jab  _ Daniel in the ribs this time and muster up his best glare considering the earlier than usual wake-up call this morning. 

 

“Nothing. I’m fine. Go back.” Daniel pushes, nodding towards the garage, not missing the opportunity to send a pointed stare at the back of Pierre’s head. “I should go anyway-”

 

“ _ Oh my god _ .” Max draws out his words, he sounds simply fucking gleeful at the realisation. “Dan… you’re jealous. You’re jealous!”

 

Daniel looks outraged but maintains a schooled expression, grinding his teeth and locking his jaw as he diverts his gaze away from Max’s intense stare. 

 

“I’m not jealous.” Daniel deadpans. 

 

“You fucking are.” Max retorts with a smirk, stepping closer and pressing his fingers into Daniel’s side deliberately. “Why are you so jealous, huh?” 

 

Daniel scowls at Max’s evident sense of enjoyment. Max’s smile starts to diminish and he’s instead back to smiling  _ that  _ smile that still, somehow, after a year, has Daniel’s insides turning upside down and he’s struggling to hide the smile that’s twitching at the corners of his lips. 

 

Twisting his fingers into the hem of Daniel’s t-shirt, Max leans up so that his lips are grazing his boyfriend’s ear. “You know, jealousy is  _ so  _ hot on you.” 

 

Daniel smirks as Max intentionally presses himself up against Daniel and kisses him. 

 

“I’ll see you later.” 

 

Daniel nods, unable to come up with an audible response. Max just grins and saunters back off to the garage, Pierre pulls a face at him when he returns but Max just punches his shoulder and winks at Daniel before getting back to work.


	7. "I just want a hug"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another one of my 'stuff i shouldn't be writing during lectures but did because my lectures are so fucking boring' :')
> 
> also...... why do I (kind of) enjoy torturing Max during my series'.... hmm

Daniel knows a lot better about the way Max deals with pressure and the things that drag him down to the point where he just wants to lock himself away, he’s been there, he’s the closest person to it.

 

Though, he doesn’t know how to respond when Pierre comes rushing in, slamming into his back and causing them both to stumble. Daniel swivels around with such speed that he almost gives himself whiplash and raises his eyebrows at the Frenchman.

 

“Max wants you, _I think_ \- he’s not making much sense.” Pierre explains with a wild wave of his hand and voice breathless as he tries to explain. “He’s just sitting on the floor and not - _I don’t know_ \- he’s-”

 

Pierre doesn’t even have to finish what he’s in the middle of explaining before Daniel sucks in a sharp breath and feels himself suppressing a deep sigh as he tries to wonder what’s gotten his boyfriend in the state that Pierre is admittedly, struggling to describe.

 

“ _Fuck_.” Daniel mutters and scratches the back of his neck before ducking outside and following Pierre.

 

His mind is running wild; for a split second, Daniel feels the anger coursing through his veins and wonders whether it’s his dad back, whether he’s the reason that Max has managed to work himself up into a state. He dismisses that thought almost as quickly as it entered his head - he wouldn’t dare, he made his feelings pretty fucking clear the last time that they had a conversation.

 

Daniel sees Max before Max sees him and Daniel’s chest tightens at the sight of Max sitting on the floor, knees pulled to his chest and his hair just about visible from where he’s got his face burrowed.

 

Pierre offers him a short smile before making himself scarce. Daniel hesitates, trying to gauge Max’s overwhelming emotion from far enough way that his presence won’t spook him. He laughs after that, this is _Max_.

 

After cautiously making his way across; Daniel kneels down in front of Max and carefully rests his hand on his boyfriend’s knee causing Max’s head to shoot up. Daniel frowns at how bloodshot Max’s eyes are and how red his cheeks are, a matching pair. Max stares at Daniel as though he’s never seen him before, watching him closely, scrutinizing him silently.

 

“What happened?” Daniel tries, knowing he’s already losing because Max is tight-lipped when it comes to things that are bothering him.

 

“I just want a hug.” Max sighs.

 

Daniel laughs and feels some of the tension falling off his shoulders. “That. That I can do.”

 

Daniel presses his back up against the wall beside Max and slings his arm around the younger’s shoulders, pulling Max into his chest and rubbing his thumb over Max’s knuckles as Max’s breathing starts to become shaky.

 

“I miss you.”

 

“I know.” Daniel murmurs. “I miss you too.”

 

“These stupid attacks are getting worse; they’re so bad when when you’re not around.” Max whispers and Daniel fights back the urge to heave a guilty sigh.

 

“I’m always around. Stop worrying about it, whenever you need me - I’ll be here, but, maybe give me five minutes because I’m not as young as I used to be.” Daniel smiles as he leans in and presses a kiss to the side of Max’s head.

 

He feels Max smiling against his shoulder and his breathing start to return to normal again.  


	8. “promise me you won’t take it off”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy a Saturday morning/early afternoon update whilst i’m getting ready to go out with my friends (for that reason - this is unedited and posted from my phone so idk if the format will look great) gotta dash!

“I can’t believe I’ve let you turn us into one of those couples who wear matching  _ things _ .” Max huffs out, twisting his fingers into the black leather of the bracelet that’s currently dangling on his right wrist.

 

Daniel’s lips turn upwards towards a small smile as his gaze flickers from the matching bracelet on his own wrist to the one on his boyfriend. He knows it was a dumb thing but knowing that he can’t exactly just stand atop of a podium and profess his love for Max without dealing with a mass reaction - he chose the next best thing. 

 

“I don’t know why you’re complaining.” Daniel shrugs as he sits on the arm of the couch and pulls Max into him so that the younger is standing in-between his legs. “These are subtle. You should be thankful I didn’t get the t-shirts with our faces on them.” 

 

A look of sheer horror flashes across Max’s face and even Daniel can’t help the laugh that rises up his throat at the expression. 

 

“I know you’re joking but if you  _ ever  _ did that I would break up with you on the spot.” Max threatens.

 

Leaning forward; Daniel rests his forehead against Max’s and tangles his fingers into the hem of the t-shirt that Max is wearing. Daniel smiles, watching the way that Max’s eyes flutter between open and closed and he realises just how long Max’s eyelashes are. 

 

Kissing him once; Daniel grins. “You’re a liar.” He just manages to murmur against Max’s lips before kissing him once more. “Promise me you won’t take it off.” 

 

Something about the seriousness in Daniel’s tone has Max nodding, never wanting to remove it. 

 

“I promise.” 

 

***

 

Daniel comes to realise pretty quickly just how much Max fiddles with the bracelet on his wrist, bringing attention to it. Half of the time he has to stifle his amusement when somebody asks Max about it and Max either flusters for a moment or falls uncharacteristically quiet and doesn’t answer. 

 

Max is barely registering the question he’s being asked; he’s exhausted and feels his entire body slumping as he forces himself to stand up straight and look attentive, his fingers twisting in the soft leather as he meets the reporter’s eyes. 

 

“I’ve noticed you’ve been wearing that for the last couple of weeks-” the reporter nods towards Max’s bracelet and Max tears his fingers away from it, looking embarrassed to have been caught out playing with it. “Is it special?” She asks. 

 

Max can feel his cheeks reddening as he thinks about it,  _ oh yeah, my boyfriend gave me it and I promised to never take it off _ . He doesn’t say that, he just shrugs. “You could say that.” 

 

It’s all he says before he lets his gaze wander around the paddock, barely able to resist a smile when he catches Daniel looking over at him from about two hundred yards away, smiling a knowing smile. It makes Max’s heart flutter and he absentmindedly starts playing with the bracelet again - he doesn’t even remember why he was so against the idea of having them in the first place. 


	9. “stop filming me, you idiot!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let’s just pretend that I didn’t write this in five minutes and it’s any good because lbr it probably sucks... anyway gotta go sleep before the first practice session! peace out

Max’s eyes are fluttering between open and closed; the mid-morning sun beating down on him, making for wonderful conditions to take a nap in. Max can hear Daniel nearby, singing and despite the fact that his boyfriend is most definitely  _ not  _ the best singer - it almost serves as a lullaby, sending Max to sleep (if you ignore the lyrics about sex).

 

Max feels a heavy body flop down on the bed beside him, Daniel smells like sea water and it really shouldn’t  _ work  _ as well as it does. Still, Max doesn’t open his eyes and tries to keep his breathing even before Daniel drags him into some overly-ridiculous activity that involves getting out of bed - he just wants a nap, damnit. He’s on a break, supposed to be relaxing and he’s pretty sure he’s done more in the last three days than he would have done had he been at home.

 

Daniel glances down to Max; watching him carefully as he tries to figure out whether Max is actually asleep or just doing his best at trying to ignore him. Waving his hand over Max’s face - it doesn’t get a response but Daniel isn’t entirely convinced just yet. Daniel slams his hand on the bedside table accidentally whilst trying to retrieve his phone and swallows down the low growl of ‘ _ fuck, that hurt _ ’ as he pulls up his Instagram. He’s just scrolling through different posts when Max shuffles around on the bed and it gives Daniel an idea. 

 

“Baby?” Daniel murmurs softly, leaning over and pressing a kiss to the exposed underside of Max’s jaw, when Max just about stirs, Daniel can’t suppress his laughter. “You’re really ignoring me, huh?”

 

_ Well. Not for much longer.  _

 

Daniel pulls up a new Instagram story and starts talking, leaning in closer to Max so that he can hook his chin upon his boyfriend’s shoulder and point the camera at Max’s face. 

 

“ _ You know, he’s always like this. He sleeps all the fucking time - a guy just wants to spend some time with his boyfriend and this is Max’s idea of quality time. _ ”

 

Max stirs at the sound of Daniel’s voice being too close for him to possibly ignore. Opening one eye, Max blinks and doesn’t immediately realise what’s happening.

 

“... Speak of the devil, morning baby!” Daniel teases as he leans down and kisses Max’s cheek.

 

“What the hell are you - stop filming me, you idiot!” Max cries out and pushes Daniel’s phone away from him, knocking it out of his hand completely as Daniel falls down onto the bed, laughing at the outraged expression on Max’s face. 

 

“Why are you like this?” Max groans as he lies on his back and throws an arm over his face to shield his eyes from the sun. “ _ Why _ do I put up with you?”

 

“Because you  _ love  _ me.” Daniel smirks, reaching down the bottom of the bed to retrieve his phone and delete the story before he accidentally posts it.

 

Max purses his lips, the words sit on the tip of his tongue but he won’t say them, not just yet, still he leans into Daniel’s side and hooks an arm and a leg over him to stop him being able to get up. 


	10. "I'm proud of you"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi
> 
> (not that i'm running out of ideas (i am but u didn't hear that from me) pls suggest something i can write ajsksjdsj)

Max hangs back awkwardly, twisting his fingers into his fireproofs and just wondering whether this is a terrible fucking idea or not. He couldn’t think about anything else up on the podium, he’s happy, sure, the adrenaline coursing through his veins -  _ obviously  _ but all the while - he couldn’t stop thinking about his boyfriend.

 

Lifting his hand, Max knocks before he manages to talk himself out of it for a second time and only enters when he hears a hoarse reply of  _ come in _ . Max frowns when he catches sight of Daniel curled up on the sofa, staring up at the ceiling with something between a pout and a scowl covering his lips.

 

Max nudges Daniel’s foot with his knee and the latter takes the hint and shifts backwards so Max can sit down with his body angled so that he’s facing Daniel. Max gnaws on his lips as he tries to avoid looking directly at Daniel whilst he comes up with something to talk about - he’s sure as hell not going to mention the race but this is what happens,  _ this  _ is the hardest part about their relationship. It leaves awkward silences and being scared to say something that upsets the other. 

 

Max is so lost in his own thoughts that he doesn’t notice Daniel pulling at his arm, fingers wrapped around his wrist, tugging him down until Max falls and lands on Daniel’s chest with a soft thump.

 

“I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to the one comforting you.” Max mumbles into his boyfriend’s t-shirt, sighing contentedly when he feels Daniel’s hand on the back of his neck, just resting there. 

 

Daniel sighs shakily but Max is facing the wrong way to know whether Dan’s angry or crushed by the events. He’s still yet to say something and it’s unsurprising, he’s had his time to shout and curse the world but it’s still mildly unnerving. 

 

Max digs his fingers into Daniel’s ribs and forces a soft sound in response from him,  _ at least it’s something  _ \- Max twists so that he’s able to finally see his face, take in the crestfallenness on his face. Daniel smiles sadly at him, nothing more than a quick upturn of his lips but it’s gone as soon as it appears.

 

“It’s always the fucking same.” Daniel grumbles, throwing his head back with a full-blown scowl on his face now. “I really thought  _ today _ would be different-”

 

Max tries not to show the hurt on his face. It’s still a sore subject but he’s not about to bring it up when he knows Dan just needs to complain. 

 

“- I don’t even know why I have high fucking hopes for this race.”

 

Max sighs and drops his head. “M’sorry.” He mumbles out as a feeble attempt to soften the blow, he can feel his eyelids drooping and his enthusiasm fading - the podium, the finish, it all feels a long time away. 

 

Max falls his hands up into fists to try and stop himself, this isn’t the time for celebrating - he’s  _ fine  _ with that, he just needs to be here, he  _ wants  _ to be here. 

 

“I’m proud of you.” 

 

Daniel’s words almost go unheard by Max but he manages to catch them and chokes out a short, breathless laugh as he turns his head back and this time there’s a genuine smile on Dan’s lips.

 

“I don’t think Seb is, didn’t look too happy.” Daniel comments with a quirk of his eyebrows causing Max to chuckle as he drops his head again, face burrowed in his boyfriend’s neck.

 

“He’ll get over it.” Max mumbles. “Love you. It’ll be better next time.”

 

Daniel shrugs but then Max is pulling at him and he can feel Max’s breathing starting to even out. It’s a conversation for later, for now, it’s sleeping and wallowing in self-pity, but deep down, he’s sure Max is right - he wouldn’t be here otherwise. 


	11. "you've done masters in stupidity, haven't you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you, PainPowder for the suggestion! it took me a while to come up with something but this feels like... them :)

“Are you  _ still  _ trying to build this?” Max asks, traipsing into the living room with a drink in his hand as he spies Daniel lying under the half-built desk with a screwdriver in his hand and a frown playing on his lips. “You’ve been at this since eleven. It’s three.” 

 

Daniel’s gaze flickers from the desk to Max, his frown turning to a scowl pretty quickly. “Perfection takes practice.” 

 

Max snorts. “Yeah, I know, I hear you say that to yourself in the mirror every morning.” He takes a sip of water and winks when Daniel mutters  _ bastard  _ under his breath and goes back to attempting to screw the screws into the desk. “Four hours, Dan.” 

 

“Shut it, Max.” Daniel grumbles as the screw he’s in the middle of screwing in loosens and hits him square on the forehead. “Don’t you fucking say anything.” Daniel warns, eyes snapping to Max who immediately pouts at not being able to tease the shit out of him for it. 

 

“I’m going to play for a bit, shout me when I  _ finally  _ have a desk!” Max calls out over his shoulder as he heads into the bedroom, kicking the door shut. 

 

It’s two hours later and Max is still waiting for Daniel to shout him, he glances up from the screen at the closed over door and wonders what the fuck is going on out there because it’s eerily quiet. Narrowing his eyes, Max pauses his game and climbs up from the bed, padding out of the bedroom and back into the living room to find his boyfriend still lying under the desk. 

 

“Do you give up yet?” 

 

“Go. Away.” Daniel huffs without even sparing a glance towards Max. “I am going to finish building this fucking thing if it’s the last thing I do.” 

 

“ _ Babe _ , the way it’s going, it  _ might  _ be the last thing you do.” Max teases. 

 

Daniel throws a piece of polystyrene from the box in Max’s direction, Max ducks, Daniel scowls. 

 

Max jumps over the side of the couch and settles down in front of Daniel to watch him try and finish a task that in all honesty should have taken him around an hour at most, and to offer sarcastic commentary - that’s providing Daniel doesn’t kick him beforehand. 

 

“I’m pretty sure I could build this in my sleep-”

 

“- Done it. I’ve done it.” Daniel cuts in, pulling himself out from under the  _ finally fucking  _ completed desk. 

 

“It’s six. You’ve been doing this for seven hours.” Max snorts with a disbelieving shake of his head. 

 

Daniel opens his mouth to reply when a crash from in front of them catches them both off-guard, the top of the desk slipping and crashing into a cabinet causing the rest of the desk to fall apart at once. 

 

“Don’t even say it-” Daniel warns.

 

“... You’ve done masters in stupidity, haven’t you?” Max grins like the smug bastard he is. “Come on, we’ll fix it.” 

 

Daniel sighs but agrees with a silent nod of his head. 

 

In the end, it takes them thirty-five minutes to build the desk together and Max jumps on it and throws his arms out wide to prove that it’s not going to collapse again.

 

Daniel smirks. “Looks sturdy.” He steps closer and in-between Max’s legs, already leaning down to press a trail of kisses along his jaw. “How about we test it?” 


	12. “none of this is your fault”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah... i’m back on my torturing Max bullshit, huh
> 
> I kind of hate the ending to this but? enJOY!!

Daniel hears Max returning more than he sees him. It’s the slam of the door, it’s the loud frustrated groan, it’s the sound of Max kicking _something_ and it’s the way that Max completely ignores his presence to stomp into the bedroom and shut the door without a second glance.

 

Daniel winces, watching the door with uncertainty bubbling in his chest. His fingers flex as he tries to decide between staying where he is and giving Max the space that it looks like his boyfriend so desperately needs or going in there with nothing to say but to make sure he’s okay. He’s likely going to be kicked out if Max is as angry as it seems as though he is but _at least_ Dan will know if he’s okay or not.

 

It’s when he hears something clattering against the door does Daniel decide to get up and go and see him, half-expectedly Max to tell him to fuck off as soon as he opens the door. Daniel turns the handle slowly, pushing open the door just a crack and hitting a phone charger that’s lying on the floor - presumably what Max threw it against it a few seconds beforehand.

 

Max doesn’t lift his head from where he’s buried them in his arms, his breathing shakier and heavier than usual. Daniel leans against the doorframe for a moment, watching him, trying to gauge whether his boyfriend is actually crying or just trying to stop the anger coursing through his veins.

 

“I fucking hate him.”

 

“... Who?”

 

Max’s head shoots up and he looks panic-stricken at being caught out by _Daniel_ of all people. Daniel raises his eyebrows waiting for an elaboration but Max just shakes his head and drops it to his arms again. This time Max doesn’t say anything but his shoulders start to shake violently and Daniel is moving towards the bed before he even thinks about it, the bed dipping beside Max who freezes once more.

 

“Baby…” Daniel tries, wrapping his hand carefully around one of Max’s wrists.

 

Max sobs and it’s so fucking heart-wrenching that it sends shivers down Daniel’s spine at the sheer sound of it.

 

“I hate him. I hate him. I never did anything wrong.” Max continues to mutter in-between sobs and sharply taken breaths.

 

“ _Max_ , hey.” Daniel murmurs, his voice barely audible above the sobbing but his hands are pressed to either side of Max’s head and he’s lifting his boyfriend’s head up so he can look into Max’s eyes. “What happened?”

 

“My dad. I saw him. He - _he_ \- I can’t.” Max crumbles, shaking his head wildly as Daniel shifts to catch his slumping body and cradle Max’s head against his chest, leaning down to press a kiss to his hair. “I’m not a bad person for loving you.”

 

The words are so quiet that Daniel just about catches them, and when does, his entire body stiffens. The anger that hits him is so intense that he feels nauseous and he can’t stop the way his nostrils flare at hearing his boyfriend’s words, _the words_ , that pathetic son of a bitch working Max up into an inconsolable state. Daniel holds on tighter, eyes closed as he angles himself to be able to rest his cheek atop of Max’s head.

 

“You’re not a bad person, baby.” Daniel promises, his own voice wavering under the ferocity of his own anger and the way it feels like every single one of his organs are twisting at the gut-wrenching sobs still falling from Max’s lips. “He is. You know he is. Fuck him.”

 

Max clings on tighter, eyes screwed shut and Daniel doesn’t even mention that Max’s nails are digging into the flesh of his forearm (probably) hard enough to break the skin.

 

“None of this is your fault.” Daniel tries, he’s clutching at straws and knows that there is no fucking way Max is going to believe anything he says right now but it’s got to be worth a shot.

 

As expected, Max scoffs but he does turn in Daniel’s arms to look at him through tear-filled eyes, red to the rim and tear-stained cheeks that take what seem like years off him. Max’s fingers twist in Daniel’s t-shirt and he’s kissing him before Daniel even realises what’s happening.

 

It’s salty, messy and as though Max is trying to convey every single thought that’s swimming around inside is head into it. Max’s other hand grasps for Daniel’s and he desperately repeats those three words against Daniel’s lips. They kiss and they kiss until they can’t breathe anymore, their foreheads pressed together as they gasp to get the air back into their lungs. Their chests rise and fall as one, their fingers still intertwined on the bed beside them as they stare into each other’s eyes wondering what to say.

 

“I know, I _know_.” Daniel whispers, his voice sounding booming in the silence of the room.

 

Max nods, feeling no need to add anything onto that as he falls onto the bed, his head hitting the pillow with a soft thump. Max tugs at their joint hands until Daniel falls beside him. Max doesn’t say anything when he attaches himself to Daniel’s side, tangling their legs together wordlessly as he angles his ear to align with the beating of Daniel’s heart.

 

The silence engulfs them until they both succumb to sleep.


	13. "there's no way I'm getting sick just because you want a hug"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this isn't even the one i wanted to post but i just got majorly scared about the one i wrote originally!! lmao i love @ me (also i know it's fiction but the chapter i didn't post is like... idk) anyway enjoy sick max being needy!!

If Daniel has learnt one thing about Max, it’s that he’s so fucking needy when he’s sick.

 

It’s barely past eleven in the morning but Dan has been awake since the crack of dawn because of Max’s wheezing and coughing that disturbed him to the point where he just  _ knew  _ he wasn’t getting back to sleep. The sun hadn’t even risen yet when Dan had abandoned any remaining hope of getting sleep and left Max completely dead to the world in bed.

 

“ _ Dan _ !” Max groans from the couch, buried under a duvet, a blanket and wearing Dan’s hoodie because he’s cold and running a fever. “Daniel!” Max repeats when he realises that in the two seconds or so since he called him first time around - Daniel is yet to appear. “ _ Ricciardo _ !” Max wheezes so loud that it starts off a violent coughing fit by the time Daniel appears at the end of the couch.

 

“What’s up?” 

 

Max glares at him, eyes glassy and drooping significantly as he pulls the hood of Daniel’s hoodie up and over his head, arms falling limp as he yanks the blanket further up to just underneath his chin.

 

“I’m cold.” Max complains with a shuddery, heavy breath. 

 

“You have three layers and the heating is turned up  _ really  _ high.” Daniel reminds him. “You just need to ride it out, okay?” 

 

Max grumbles, attempting an eye roll that ends up with Max clutching his head and complaining about the blinding headache he’s had since he rolled (fell) out of bed only thirty minutes ago. 

 

“I want a hug.” 

 

“No. Fuck no.” Daniel dismisses the request so quickly that he almost snaps his neck at how quickly he turned it down.

 

“Why not?” Max coughs, frowning as he burrows deeper in the cushions and blankets, looking pretty pathetic if you were to ask Daniel. “I’m sick.” 

 

“Exactly, idiot.” Daniel grins as he nudges Max’s feet with his thigh. “There’s no way I’m getting sick just because you want a hug.” 

 

“I’d do it for you!” Max splutters, groaning and sniffling. 

 

Daniel shakes his head. “Liar, the last time I had a cold - you wouldn’t come within four feet of me. I hadn’t had that kind of rejection since I was fourteen.” 

 

Max cracks the slightest smile at that before he’s pulling his hands out from underneath his blankets and making grabby hands towards his boyfriend. Daniel frowns, he can  _ feel  _ his resolve melting but he’s determined to not have them both sick for the next week. 

 

“Baby, I love you but  _ no. _ ” Daniel resists. 

 

“Dani’l.” Max whimpers, pouting for full effect. 

 

_ Fuck.  _

 

“I’m going to get sick, aren’t I?” Daniel mutters mostly to himself as he gestures for Max to move so he can sit in the corner of the couch, settling into the groove as Max curls up with his head in Daniel’s chest and his hands twisting in the material of his t-shirt. “I  _ hate  _ you.” 

 

Max makes a non-committal noise in response as his eyes start to flutter once more, but this time he doesn’t try to fight back sleep. 


	14. "stop thinking so loud, my head hurts"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... in the spirit of Max being sick in the last chapter, enjoy sick!Dan :') alSO DUDES WTF??? 100 KUDOS???? FOR THIS LITTLE DUMB DRABBLE COLLECTION??? I LOVE U ALL

Daniel would call it payback, if he was able to keep his eyes open for longer than five seconds at a time. Max calls it torture, it took four days for him to feel better but in those four days - as he got better, Dan got sick and Max curses every heavenly being to ever exist when he realises Daniel’s contracted the virus he had.

 

“You’re such a child.” Max grumbles as he shoves the cough syrup in Daniel’s direction. “Take it. It will make you better.” 

 

Daniel frowns, eyebrows knit together and a pale, sickly complexion to his face as he groans and holds his hand out for the bottle in Max’s hand. Max just leans over the back of the couch and reaches down to pet the top of Daniel’s head, pulling a face at the sweaty curls that are matting to his boyfriend’s forehead as his fever still runs. 

 

Dan holds his hand out for the spoon and with shaky hands, pours the medicine onto it and stares at it as though it’s poison. Max nudges Daniel’s hand causing his boyfriend to mutter a string of swear words before taking the cough syrup and making a big deal about gagging at the taste.

 

“I haven’t seen you gag like that since we started dating.” Max comments absentmindedly, smirking when Daniel glares at him. Max just raises his eyebrows and waits for the sarcastic comment in response that doesn’t come. “Get some sleep.” Max whispers as he leans down to kiss Daniel, turning his nose up when he tastes the remnants of cough syrup. “You’re right, it’s horrible.” 

 

Daniel just sighs and rolls onto his side, eyes closing and falling asleep within seconds. 

 

***

 

Dan wakes up a good few hours later, his legs across Max’s lap as Max scrolls through different TV stations, not even attempting to find something to watch. Daniel presses his socked feet into Max’s thigh causing the remote to slip to the floor and for Max to turn with a sleepy smile to his boyfriend. Daniel manages the smallest of smiles, just a quick upturn of his lips before he’s frowning again, eyes fluttering between open and closed as the pain in his head shows no signs of subsiding anytime soon. 

 

Daniel’s head lolls on the pillow as he screws his eyes shut to hide away from the sunlight streaming into the living room, pulling the blanket covering him further up until he can press the soft fabric against his eyelids and will the pain to go away. 

 

He mumbles something incoherent that has Max tapping his fingers on Dan’s calves and pulling the blanket down.

 

“What?”

 

“I  _ said, _ stop thinking so loud, my head hurts.” Daniel groans, throwing an arm over his face. 

 

“You’re so whiny.” Max complains, swatting at Dan’s legs to which Dan responds with a pitiful attempt at slapping Max’s arms. “ _ Ouch. _ ” Max draws out sarcastically, smirking when Daniel rolls his eyes.

 

“I was  _ nice  _ to you when you were sick.” Daniel huffs. 

 

Max fights back a smile as he angles his body towards Daniel, leaning over to brush his fingers along Dan’s cheekbones with a featherlight touch that has Daniel leaning into it nevertheless. 

 

“What do you need?” Max asks, a softer tone to his voice as he searches Daniel’s face, stifling his laughter at how young Daniel looks, so much younger than his years. “It can be anything as long as I don’t have to move.” 

 

Dan rolls his eyes but manages to grasp Max’s hoodie to pull him down and kiss him. 

 

“Gross.” Max breathes out against Dan’s lips but it doesn’t stop him from pressing his lips to his boyfriend’s once more before dropping his head to Daniel’s chest. 

 

Dan wraps his arms around Max, revelling in his boyfriend’s obscenely high body temperature, already feeling his exhaustion take over once more.


	15. "if you had asked me to stay, i would've"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so... this is the one i was dreading to post but it's not even 9am and my anxiety is already at an all-time high so... posting this won't make it any worse. life sucks but at least today is my last day of uni before easter break so... silver lining. enjoy me torturing my boys again!

Max barely knocks against the door, his knuckles brushing the wood so softly that he’s unsure whether he even heard it, let alone Dan. 

 

Max lifts his hand to knock again, firmer this time but before he gets the chance; the door swings open. 

 

Dan stares at him wordlessly, a frown tugging at the corners of his lips, his black hoodie swallowing his frame in a way that would  _ usually  _ look downright adorable but it just looks… pitiful. Dan sighs, lifting a hand to brush through his curls before stepping aside, leaning on the door for support and it’s only then does Max realise he looks downright exhausted and it tears at his chest.

 

As soon as Max walks into the room, he kicks the door shut and tentatively curls his fingers around his boyfriend’s wrist, dragging him further into the room without much resistance. Daniel stumbles on the carpet and crashes into Max’s back nearly sending them both flying to the floor. Max just about manages to steady them as Daniel slips his arms around Max’s waist and breathes out a shuddery sigh against the back of Max’s neck. 

 

“You don’t want to talk about it.” Max states, he doesn’t ask, it’s pretty fucking clear that Dan doesn’t want to talk about it. 

 

“What’s there to talk about?” Daniel grumbles, unable to stop the hints of bitterness seeping into his voice as Max covers Dan’s hands with his own, brushing his thumbs across the back of them. “Two races. Two retirements. It’s fucking great.” 

 

Max spins in Dan’s arms and faces him, though, he doesn’t need to look at him to see the way that his boyfriend’s face is contorted into nothing short of misery and  _ regret. _ Max raises his eyebrows, he’s imagining that, he’s tired and Daniel’s just in a bad mood. 

 

***

 

It doesn’t stop grasping at Max’s every thought for the next few hours, the TV is playing in front of them, a low enough volume that they can still talk about whatever comes to mind but not low enough that they can’t hear it if they finally decide to watch. Daniel’s been in and out of sleep for the best part of an hour, head lolling against Max’s shoulder before slipping back to the pillow on the left side of the bed. Max watches him carefully, a frown twitching at the corners of his lips, scrutinizing Daniel and the way he’s almost scowling in his sleep, mumbling various words sleepily - most of which are swear words. 

 

Max is just about to grab his phone when Daniel shoots up with a jolt and wide eyes, hand clutching his head as he swears lowly under his breath. Max goes to ask him if he’s okay when he notices it again, that flash of regret in Dan’s eyes that he was so convinced he’d seen hours before, this time it doesn’t immediately disappear though. Something uneasy, unfamiliar,  _ painful  _ twists in Max’s stomach as he brushes his shoulder against Dan’s. 

 

“Regretting leaving?” Max tries to joke but even he realises how strained his voice sounds. 

 

Daniel doesn’t answer, just sucks in a sharp breath and stares straight ahead towards the TV as though he’s interested in whatever is showing - despite having slept through the majority of it. Max stiffens at Daniel’s lack of response and screws his eyes shut for a moment before opening them and meeting Dan’s eyes, staring into his as though he’s trying to convey his answer to Max without having to say the words. 

 

“Dan…” Max trails off cautiously. “I’m joking.” 

 

“I’m not.” Daniel bites back, throwing his head back against the headboard. 

 

“We’re two races in.” Max tries to soften the blow,  _ plenty of time to improve and all that sanctimonious bullshit.  _ “Nico retired too-”

 

Max doesn’t get a chance to finish whatever greeting card worthy amount of reassurance that was about to tumble from his lips because Dan’s next words catch him so fucking far off-guard that Max nearly falls off the bed with the shock that vibrates through his body.

 

“... If you had asked me to stay, I would’ve.” 

 

Max gapes, completely aware that he’s staring at Daniel with a look of shock, surprise and childlike innocence but Daniel doesn’t comment, he just stares up at the ceiling and absentmindedly taps his fingers against his knee. “Close your mouth, you’ll catch flies.” 

 

Max does but he’s still staring, he can’t stop. “Bullshit.” 

 

“It’s not.” Daniel laughs, and it’s shaky and nervous and he’s pulling at his longer curls. 

 

Max swallows thickly and Daniel’s gaze flickers to him before his gaze is back on the TV. The silence that fills the room afterwards is so thick that a thousand knives couldn’t cut through it. 


	16. "are you okay?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok i know this prompt(?) is kinda lazy but really i wrote this on a whim at 1:34 this morning because my anxiety was stopping me sleeping lol. idk what it is about stars... they're pretty and soothing and apparently (my) max loves them!

When Max was six years old, he spent the night sitting in the living room with his face pressed up against the window and stared out at the stars illuminating the night sky, brightening the dark that scared him. He wasn’t always scared of the dark until the power outage that had happened just days beforehand and suddenly the dark sent such a violent shiver up his spine that he couldn’t sleep without having a night light and the door to his bedroom only half closed with the light from the hallway seeping in. 

 

It was his dad’s idea at the time, to buy star stickers that glow in the dark and stick them on the ceiling to help Max sleep - after his parents came downstairs to find their son slumped against the window sleeping soundly at the crack of dawn the following morning. 

 

Max has since grown out of his fear of the dark,  _ naturally _ , but what replaced that and especially now is a crippling sense of anxiety that scares Max to the point where it’s as though he’s locked in a darkened room struggling to see anything two feet in front of him. Sometimes it’s like he’s six years old again and hating the second that the sun starts to set of an evening. Max often thought it was a figment of his imagination, his fears, he didn’t have many to begin with but the fear of the dark striking even now, an adult, it’s cause to think about. 

 

The stars scattering the night sky in Monaco are nothing short of breath-taking at times, shining in the sky and watching over the city in a serene peacefulness despite the vibrance of down below. It’s almost the same as living in two different worlds separated by a skyline. Max shivers once he drags his eyes away from the sky to where he’s uncomfortably bundled into a chair on the balcony, his fingers still flexing from where he curled them to the point of cramp to stop them shaking and he can feel the overwhelming exhaustion begin to settle into his bones as he drops his head back, the coolness of the wall behind a welcomed relief for the incessant thumping against his skull. 

 

“Are you okay?” 

 

Daniel’s voice cuts through the traffic, the music,  _ Max’s deafening thoughts.  _

 

Max goes to lie, nod his head, smile, say it’s okay but this is Dan and Dan can see straight through him so Max shakes his head and shakes it once more, pulling his hood up over his head to hide the way his face is crumbling at the simple question. 

 

_ “Baby.”  _ Daniel sighs and steps out onto the balcony, nudging Max’s shoulder with the back of his hand to get him to stand up, Max does so wordlessly and can only stare when Daniel takes his position and sits on the plastic chair. “Come here.” Dan murmurs, curling his hand around Max’s wrist and tugging until Max all but falls onto his boyfriend’s lap and immediately hides his face in Daniel’s shoulder.

 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry-” Max repeats, the words tumbling from his lips in a plea for Daniel not to get mad at him for being as pathetic as he is. 

 

“- You need to stop doing that.” Dan interjects, “don’t think about that, think about something else.  _ Anything. _ ” 

 

Max grabs fistfuls of Dan’s shirt and takes a shuddery breath. “I know you don’t understand but - when I was a kid, I was scared of the dark and my -  _ he  _ got me glow in the dark stars for my ceiling to help me sleep and - uh - now - when things get  _ bad  _ they kind of have the same effect?” Max stumbles and rambles and shuts up when he realises how  _ fucking stupid  _ he sounds. 

 

Dan doesn’t laugh though, he doesn’t call Max stupid for having something to help with how vicious his anxiety is. Instead, he just wraps his arms tighter around Max and presses a kiss to his hair. “Good, I’m bloody glad you have something that helps. And me, you have me too.” 

 

Max nods. He does have Dan. He’s  _ always  _ going to have Dan. 


	17. “you’re jealous, aren’t you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello. hi. it feels like it’s been a while since i updated this one. weird. also i’m on my break whilst posting this. idk why i’m telling you this. anyway! this is sorta set before the first drabble in which dan was jealous idk, the idea struck me lol see ya later (also cyb this isn’t angsty lmao wild)

Max is trusting, hell, he knows he has nothing to worry about when it comes to Dan but he still finds himself glaring at Nico, gnawing on his lip as Daniel leans in closer and whispers something to him. 

 

It’s the way Nico slings his arm around Dan’s shoulders and the way that Daniel doesn’t seem deterred by it in the slightest, just carrying on talking and not taking any notice to the world around him. Max gnaws harder and narrows his eyes as he leans against the wall,

 

“Hey, what’s u-?”

 

Max smacks Pierre in the chest to shut him up. Pierre’s eyes grow wide and he opens his mouth to complain but one scowl from Max has him closing it again and standing awkwardly beside him. Max rolls his eyes and wraps his hand around Pierre’s wrist, pulling him until they’re beside each other and Pierre is able to see what has Max in such a bitter mood - though - he’s unsure what the problem is.

 

“... Do you spend all your free time spying on the Renault garage?” Pierre asks, voice barely audible as he glances between the garage and Max who is unable to tear his eyes away from his boyfriend. “You know they’re no real threat to us, right?”

 

Max resists the urge to facepalm but only just, he tilts his head to the side and raises his eyebrows at Pierre. “Do you really think I’m here to spy on _them_?”

 

Pierre offers a measly shrug in response, face contorted into a look of sheer confusion and Max almost feels bad for being so cryptic.

 

“It’s Dan.” Max sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose when he sees Dan lean in and nudge Nicos’s shoulder, showing him something on his phone. “It’s Dan. I’m dating Dan. We’re dating. He’s my boyfriend.” Max admits, a small smirk twitching at the corners of his lips at the realisation hitting the Frenchman all at once.

 

“Holy shit - you two are actually - but - _what the fuck, Max?_ ” Pierre splutters, scratching the back of his neck as he stares at his teammate as though he has two heads.

 

Max shrugs. “Yeah, no big deal, _that_ , that’s a big deal though.” He grumbles, pointing to the garage where Nico and Dan are still standing a little too close for Max’s comfort.

 

Daniel glances up and smiles when he sees Max pointing, Max drops his hand back to his side immediately and glances over at Pierre who is still trying to process his newly learned information. In that time, Dan has walked over from the garage and stops in front of Max - not so subtly glancing down to Max’s lips but not making a move to kiss him-

 

“It’s fine. He knows, I just told him.” Max dismisses, nudging Pierre’s shoulder to bring him out of his daze.

 

“Yeah, yeah, he told me, it’s cool, really cool, I’m _happy_ for you guys - for making this work - it’s hard - yeah - I’m - uh-” Pierre stumbles and fumbles over his words, “I’m just going to - yeah.” Pierre slowly backs away,

 

Daniel leans down to kiss Max but at the last second Max turns and Dan’s lips catch his cheek,

 

“What’s up?”

 

Max ignores the question and looks past Daniel, watching the way Nico busies himself and is paying the pair no attention. Daniel looks over his shoulder to follow where Max’s line of sight is,

 

“Do you want Nico instead?” Dan asks,

 

Before Max can stop himself, “do you?” He bites back,

 

Daniel furrows his eyebrows. “I - no? I want to talk to you - what’s-” Dan stops and smirks. “You’re jealous, aren’t you?”

 

Max doesn’t reply. Daniel’s smirk grows as he slides his arms around Max’s shoulders, dipping until he can rest his forehead against Max’s.

 

“It’s cute.”

 

“Shut the fuck up.” Max huffs,

 

“You’re so cute.”

 

“Shut up, again.” Max whines, stamping his foot petulantly.

 

Daniel just chuckles and leans in to kiss Max, this time catching his lips and smiling against Max’s mouth. “Still cute,” he mumbles

 

Max rolls his eyes.


	18. “how did you get in here?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello idk what this is. i think i’m sick and have been revising for my exams all day and my parents have been in bad moods and are yelling so idk man, i hope it’s not terrible but i know for a fact that this isn’t my best work

Max tosses and turns for the umpteenth time, he slams his hand against the pillow and muffles a string of sleepy swear words as he screws his eyes shut and tries to will himself to fall asleep.

 

Max is _fine_ with the fact that Daniel had to leave for a few days, he’ll be back by the weekend and it’s not like they’re that codependent on each other yet. Except, it’s been three years since they started dating and they _have_ in fact gotten worse at being separated for longer than a few hours.

 

Sighing, Max rolls onto his back and glares up at the ceiling, resisting the urge to roll his eyes and admit to himself that he does actually miss his boyfriend. Blindly, Max hits his hand against the bedside table whilst reaching for his phone, only frowning when he sees the white three when he looks at the time. Tossing his phone beside him, Max is just about to try and force sleep once more when he hears a crash from nearby.

 

 _Great._ If things weren’t bad enough, now he’s got to deal with his apartment floor being unreasonably noisy. Max just grabs his pillow and pulls it over his head, groaning and closing his eyes, shivering a little at not having another body pressed up against his back.

 

He hears another loud thud a few seconds later though it’s muffled due to the pillow but still loud enough that it causes Max to open his eyes and stare at the wall, slowly starting to accept that he’s not falling asleep tonight.

 

Keeping the pillow pressed against his ear, Max’s gaze flickers over to his bedroom door where it’s closed over but not all of the way. He hears another thump and he can feel the frustration wearing through his veins as he scowls at the door-

 

 _“Fuck me!_ ” Another voice cries out,

 

Max jolts upright and the pillow he’s no longer holding is launched across the bedroom. For a split second he thinks he’s dreaming it and that he’s in fact been asleep for hours but when he hears somebody hitting a hard surface somewhere in the apartment, he scrambles up and runs to the door, pulling it open.

 

Flicking the light on, the _intruder_ squeaks and turns around, smiling sheepishly at Max as he holds his hand up and waves.

 

“Daniel.” Max breathes out in relief, slumping exhaustively against the door frame. “How did you get in here?”

 

Daniel knits his eyebrows together before holding up the set of keys in his hand. “Sorry, I know it’s late, it’s-” he pulls his phone out of his pocket and winces once he sees the time. “Surprise?”

 

Max shakes his head, stifling his yawn against the back of his hand before crossing the apartment and wrapping his arms around Dan’s middle and dropping his head to his boyfriend’s shoulder and closing his eyes.

 

“Missed you.” He mumbles sleepily against the base of Dan’s throat,

 

Daniel just hugs him back but it becomes pretty clear rather quickly that Max has _actually_ fallen asleep against Dan’s shoulder - Dan’s not surprised.

 

“Max, Max? Hey, come on.” Daniel tries, jostling him as carefully as he can.

 

All that does though is cause Max to hold on tighter and resist moving. “No, comfy.”

 

“I know but let’s go to bed, yeah?” Daniel tries again and he’s already pulling Max towards the bedroom.

 

It’s only when Max has tucked himself into Dan’s side and can feel the exhaustion settling into his bones as his eyes flutter between open and closed does he jab Dan in the ribs.

 

“Next time you want to surprise me. Don’t do it at three in the fucking morning.” He grumbles,

 

Daniel just snorts and presses a kiss to Max’s hair, “noted.”


	19. “I said get rid of it”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg so hi i’m literally posting this outside the sports hall of my uni 15 minutes before my final ever uni exam ajsksk as you can tell i’m super prepared! anyway! enjoy! idk what this is! i wrote it at 2am this morning :)

Daniel is in the middle of cooking dinner when he hears the high-pitched shriek coming from the bathroom, dropping the knife he’s holding to the counter, Dan’s head snaps towards the still closed door as he frowns-

 

“Max?!” He shouts,

 

He doesn’t get an answer but there’s a crash that follows causing Daniel to sigh, barely resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose as he crosses the apartment and pulls the door open chuckling at the sight that beholds him. Max is sitting cross-legged on the counter looking as pale as the white walls of the bathroom, looking like the fear of God has struck him.

 

“- Uh - you good, baby?” Daniel asks whilst trying to hide the amused smile that’s twitching at the corners of his lips. 

 

Max shakes his head and throws his arm out and points to the floor, Daniel’s eyes follow his arm and he looks down at the floor not immediately finding anything and shrugging as he glances back at Max who emphasises his point by glaring at Daniel and making a circle motion with his forefinger towards the floor.

 

Daniel’s gaze falls to the floor once more and near the towel that’s been haphazardly tossed - he sees the spider that’s crawling across the tiles.

 

“Oh my  _ god,  _ Max.” Daniel howls, jumping out of the way of Max kicking out at him. “It’s  _ so  _ small. You can’t be scared of that.”

 

Max makes a strangled noise in response. “Get rid of it,”

 

Daniel smirks, “you sure? You did say we should get a pet together one day.” He teases, leaning against the doorframe as he raises his eyebrows at his boyfriend. 

 

Max glares at him. “Yeah, I meant an  _ actual  _ pet not - not  _ that. _ ”

 

Daniel holds his hands up. “You should have been clearer.”

 

“Get rid of it.”

 

“But-”

 

“I said get rid of it, Daniel!” Max huffs,

 

Daniel grins as he leans down and picks the spider up, barely big enough to cover half of his palm as he holds his hand out towards Max. Max squeaks and backs away, hitting the mirror hung up on the wall causing Daniel to laugh,

 

“I hate you so fucking much.” Max deadpans,

 

Daniel just smirks and leaves the bathroom getting ready to open the balcony door and set the spider outside when an idea strikes him. He knows Max is going to kill him, Max will most  _ definitely  _ murder him for this but just the thought of it is enough to want to see his reaction.

 

He sits on the couch and waits for Max to come out of the bathroom. Max is dragging a hand through his hair when he reaches the couch-

 

“What are you smirking at?” Max asks him, scrutinizing his boyfriend.

 

Daniel holds his hand out and the scream that tumbles from Max’s lips is enough for Daniel to almost keel over laughing but Max jumping over the side of the couch and stumbling before hitting the floor with a loud thump that could definitely be heard over their entire floor is  _ completely worth it. _

 

“I’m going to kill you.” Max mumbles,

 

“Yeah,  _ yeah,  _ worth it though.” Daniel grins as he gets up and gets rid of the spider outside. 


	20. "I don't want to talk about it"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok hi! another little something I wrote in ten minutes! also... quali, huh? That was uh something lmao
> 
> also i can’t believe this is number 20 of these... damn

Daniel’s brave-ish.

 

There aren’t many things that strike the fear of god into him but a frustrated and quite frankly  _ pissed off  _ Max after a bad quali session is most definitely one of them. He hangs awkwardly around Max’s room, Daniel himself qualified fourth but he seriously doubts that  _ that  _ will go any way into lightening Max’s mood.

 

Twisting his lips into a frown; Daniel knocks the door with just two of his fingers and knows that he’s not generating nearly enough noise for Max to possibly even hear him and he waits,  _ waits  _ a little longer and after a minute or so of waiting - Daniel just opens the door anyway. The room is quiet and the only thing that Daniel can see at first is something flying across his eyeline and hitting the wall beside him, 

 

Max is throwing balled up pieces of paper at the wall - missing the wastepaper basket by a good few metres but seemingly not caring, his shoulders are rising and falling in an even pattern as he grabs another piece of paper and scrunches it into another ball and launches it in the opposite direction this time, 

 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Max’s voice is rough and raw as though he’s just spent twenty minutes screaming until he couldn’t make another sound. “I don’t want to talk about anything,” 

 

If Daniel was feeling in the mood to get his head bitten off he’d laugh and call Max out on being melodramatic but as it happens; his own throat is dry as he carefully maneuvers through the room and sits on the couch beside his boyfriend. Max has a half-scrunched ball of paper in his right hand, just sitting in his palm and he’s making no effort to do anything more to it. 

 

Daniel reaches for the paper and drops it onto the table without much resistance from Max before he’s turning around, his knee bumping into Max’s thigh and he’s turning Max’s head so that they can look at each other. Max’s eyes flicker around the room before back to Daniel’s eyes before flickering away again and a sigh falls from his lips. 

 

“Fucking eleventh.” Max mutters eventually, 

 

“Could be worse,” Daniel shrugs, sliding his fingers through Max’s and brushing his thumb over the back of his boyfriend’s hand. “Could be so much  _ fucking  _ worse.” 

 

Max shrugs but doesn’t reply, he just lets himself fall backwards on the couch so that he’s staring up at the ceiling in a bid to look as pitiful as he possibly can. 

 

“Fourth.” Max mumbles after another few beats of silence pass between them,  _ “not bad.”  _ Max smiles up at him, though it’s barely a quirk of his lips as he drops his gaze to his boyfriend. 

 

Daniel rolls his eyes and pushes himself off the end of the couch so that he can jostle Max until he’s lying on the couch with Max half-draped over him instead, his head resting just over Daniel’s heart. 

 

“Tomorrow won’t be  _ so  _ bad, you know? It’s you, I’m pretty sure everybody ahead is already scared of you.” Daniel tries to reassure him, fingers pressing into Max’s side as he twists so he can press a kiss to Max’s hair. 

 

“Even you?” Max asks, gaze flicking up so that they’re looking straight at each other, 

 

Daniel scrunches his nose up and shakes his head, “of you? No chance, baby.” 

 

For the first time since Daniel got here, he sees a genuine smile on Max’s lips as Max leans in to kiss him. 

 

“You should be,” Max mumbles against his lips. 

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](https://hoewedeshummels.tumblr.com) :’)
> 
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5geFXfKZt3OPOumRAFTpe0) <3


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